- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals for renewable energy generation have been considered by ministers since May 2007 and what the outcome has been in each case.
Answer
Scottishministers are currently handling 38 renewable energy consent applications at variousstages in the section 36 process leading to determination. Since May 2007, Scottishministers have determined seven renewable energy applications and referredthree wind farm applications to Public Local Inquiry. Four new applications havebeen received since May.
| Section 36 Application | Determination | Megawatts |
| Inverleal hydro | Consented July 2007 | 3 |
| Greenock wind farm | Refused July 2007 | 55 |
| Harestanes wind farm | Consented September 2007 | 214 |
| Clashindarroch wind farm | Refused September 2007 | 129 |
| Calliachar wind farm | Refused September 2007 | 62 |
| EMEC Orcadian Test Centre | Consented September 2007 | 3 |
| Carnoch hydro | Consented October 2007 | 1.5 |
In addition, Scottishministers had before them six renewable energy planning applications for their considerationsince May 2007. They are as follows:
| Notified Planning Applications | Present Position |
| Monan Wind Farm, Isle of Harris | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 23-3-07. Application called in for Ministers determination on 4-7-07. Call-in Direction revoked 6-9-07. Application presently before Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar. Consent still to be issued |
| Merranblo Wind Farm, Orkney | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 13-4-07. Application called in for Ministers determination 26-6-07. Case being heard by means of public local inquiry which has been set for Jan/Feb 2008 |
| Erection of 2 wind turbines, Strath of Brydock, Alvah, Banff | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 26-6-07 and subsequently cleared back to Aberdeenshire Council for their own determination on 12-9-07 |
| Energy from waste incineration at Binn Farm, Glenfarg | Application initially notified to Scottish Ministers on 12-1-07 and subsequently cleared to Perth & Kinross Council for their own determination on 28-8-07 |
| New Hydro Electric Scheme, Callop, Glenfinnan | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 4-7-07 and subsequently cleared back to Highland Council on 2-8-07 for their own determination. |
| Erection of 1 wind turbine at Galston Primary School | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 5-11-07. Under consideration. |
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive who has responsibility for deciding whether any proposed expenditure by it is ultra vires.
Answer
It is the responsibilityof Scottish ministers to satisfy themselves that any proposed expenditure is lawful,and in case of doubt first to seek legal advice on the lawfulness or otherwise of the proposed expenditure.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive which college and university developments will be supported by the funds released by HM Treasury, as announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 26 October 2007.
Answer
The allocation offunding to individual colleges and universities is a matter for the Scottish FundingCouncil. They have advised that of the £100 million allocated, £40 million willbe distributed on a formula basis to the university sector and £60 million on aproject and formula basis to the college sector.
In the college sector,the additional funding will help support specific major college projects which havebeen approved by council (and are in progress), including those at Anniesland, Langsideand Motherwell colleges. £20 million has been allocated formulaically to all colleges.
The formulaic allocationof £40 million additional funding to higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2007-08will release resources in future years to support potential large scale HEI capitalprojects such as campus redevelopment at Glasgow School of Art and the University of Paisley’s Ayrcampus. These projects and others are still at the planning stage and are subjectto Scottish Funding Council support for final plans.
Specific allocationsto HEIs and colleges in financial year 2007-08 are noted as follows:
| HEI | Total HEI Allocation (for FY 2007-08) (£) |
| Aberdeen, University of | 2,921,000 |
| Abertay Dundee, University of | 995,000 |
| Dundee, University of | 2,769,000 |
| Edinburgh College of Art | 399,000 |
| Edinburgh, University of | 4,830,000 |
| Glasgow Caledonian University | 3,236,000 |
| Glasgow School of Art | 461,000 |
| Glasgow, University of | 5,148,000 |
| Heriot-Watt University | 1,499,000 |
| Napier University | 2,823,000 |
| Open University in Scotland | 1,084,000 |
| Paisley, University of | 3,004,000 |
| Queen Margaret University Edinburgh | 752,000 |
| Robert Gordon University | 2,130,000 |
| Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama | 319,000 |
| St Andrews, University of | 1,189,000 |
| Stirling, University of | 1,650,000 |
| Strathclyde, University of | 3,672,000 |
| UHI Millennium Institute | 1,119,000 |
| Total | 40,000,000 |
| College | Total College Allocation (for FY 2007-08) (£) |
| Aberdeen College | 1,145,000 |
| Adam Smith College | 956,000 |
| Angus College | 377,000 |
| Anniesland College | 436,000 |
| Ayr College | 486,000 |
| Banff and Buchan College of Further Education | 368,000 |
| Barony College | 168,000 |
| Borders College | 339,000 |
| Cardonald College | 607,000 |
| Central College of Commerce | 433,000 |
| Clydebank College | 482,000 |
| Coatbridge College | 355,000 |
| Cumbernauld College | 312,000 |
| Dumfries and Galloway College | 368,000 |
| Dundee College | 835,000 |
| Edinburgh’s Telford College | 923,000 |
| Elmwood College | 302,000 |
| Forth Valley College | 894,000 |
| Glasgow Metropolitan College | 740,000 |
| Glasgow College of Nautical Studies | 378,000 |
| Inverness College | 382,000 |
| James Watt College of Further and Higher Education | 1,189,000 |
| Jewel and Esk Valley College | 559,000 |
| John Wheatley College | 340,000 |
| Kilmarnock College | 467,000 |
| Langside College | 462,000 |
| Lauder College | 485,000 |
| Lews Castle College | 162,000 |
| Moray College | 283,000 |
| Motherwell College | 659,000 |
| North Glasgow College | 433,000 |
| Oatridge College | 195,000 |
| Orkney College | 135,000 |
| Perth College | 331,000 |
| Reid Kerr College | 664,000 |
| Shetland College of Further Education | 135,000 |
| South Lanarkshire College | 356,000 |
| Stevenson College | 720,000 |
| Stow College | 473,000 |
| West Lothian College | 410,000 |
| The North Highland College | 256,000 |
| Total | 20,000,000 |
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many classes in each of primary 1 to primary 3 have (a) more than 30, (b) 25 to 30, (c) 20 to 24, (d) 18 to 19 and (e) less than 18 pupils.
Answer
Information on individualclass sizes from the 2006 pupil census (the latest figures available) is publishedon the internet and can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16412/PrimClassSizesSep06.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 9 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the bills to implement the proposals announced in the First Minister’s legislative programme statement on 5 September 2007.
Answer
The ScottishGovernment will be bringing forward a rolling programme of legislation in linewith the First Minister’s announcement over the remaining months of thisParliamentary year.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between its plan for upgrading the full length of the M8 to motorway standard and the proposals of the previous administration.
Answer
The M8 corridor isbeing reviewed as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review which is currentlyunder way and will report in the summer of 2008. I set out our commitment to theplanned upgrading of the last remaining gap on the M8 corridor between Bailliestonto Newhouse to motorway standard in my statement to Parliament on 27 June. Draftorders for the scheme were published on 23 October 2007, underlining this commitment.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities (a) chief constables, (b) police boards and (c) Scottish ministers have in relation to the operational deployment of police officers and whether there are any plans to change such responsibilities.
Answer
Under the tripartitearrangement for the accountability for the police service in Scotland, Scottish ministers retain overall responsibilityfor setting strategic priorities and national policing policy. Police authoritiesare responsible for securing the maintenance of an efficient and effectivepolice force, overseeing the work of the chief constable and holding him/her toaccount for the policing of the force area. Chief constables are responsiblefor the enforcement of the law and for operational aspects of policing in theirforce area.
There arecurrently no plans to change these responsibilities.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects bridge tolls to be abolished.
Answer
The Abolition of BridgeTolls (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 3 September 2007. The principles of the bill will be debated on 15 November2007 and further progress is subject to the will of the Parliament. However,ministers expect the bill to complete its parliamentary stages by the end of theyear, and the tolls would end as soon as practicable thereafter.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase support for poorer students.
Answer
We have taken a quickfirst step to develop a fair student support package by introducing a Bill to abolishthe Graduate Endowment Fee.
We intend to consultwidely on our further proposals on student support next year.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 7 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in establishing the Scottish futures trust; when it is expected to be launched, and when local authorities will be able to apply for funding from the trust.
Answer
Our working groupis making considerable progress in developing the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) initiativeto deliver better, more efficient infrastructure for taxpayers and an announcementwill be made when we are ready to explain it in more detail.
I have already givena progress report on SFT to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee in relationto their inquiry into funding of capital projects, and promised to keep them informedas developments continue.
